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Poll: When will the next major bicycle race happen again?

Page 4 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.

When will the next major bicycle race happen again?

  • April

    Votes: 1 0.8%
  • Mai

    Votes: 13 9.8%
  • June

    Votes: 33 24.8%
  • July

    Votes: 34 25.6%
  • August

    Votes: 15 11.3%
  • September

    Votes: 13 9.8%
  • October

    Votes: 1 0.8%
  • 2021

    Votes: 23 17.3%

  • Total voters
    133
The main thing is the situation on Hungary, by the end of April the number of new infections in italy should be really low, so having a race one month later is not unthinkable.
I think you're being very optimistic.
This is not Wuhan. The moment the government lifts the lockdown people in Italy will have parties and barbecues and so on, making a second outbreak very likely.

We're far far away from herd immunity. And there is no guarantee a vaccine will be ready in 2020 (or ever). Unless the heat destroys the virus, I believe this thing is here to stay and will impact our lives for much longer than we think. Even in case the lockdown is lifted we'll have to endure a number of restrictions, public events won't resume immediately, sport will be behind closed doors.

Is cycling likely to resume before other sports? Possibly, but with severe crowd restrictions. RCS is doing a great job in rescheduling the Giro, but I doubt this will go through.
 
Good to see we have so many experts here. In the meanwhile, in Italy, some football teams will start training again on monday.
Belgium's most renowned virologist says the epidemic should last roughly 10 weeks if we can keep current measures in place. There is a chance that it will resurface, but that risk will always be present imho.

It will get worse before it gets better, because a lot of people that have already been infected, have not yet had any symptoms and might not even know they are sick. But in the meanwhile the number of newly infected people should start to diminish drastically in the countries where there is a quasi lockdown. We'll know a lot more in a few weeks. It's very possible that this will last through the rest of the year, but that doesn't seem to be a certainty at all either.
 
Good to see we have so many experts here. In the meanwhile, in Italy, some football teams will start training again on monday.
Belgium's most renowned virologist says the epidemic should last roughly 10 weeks if we can keep current measures in place. There is a chance that it will resurface, but that risk will always be present imho.

It will get worse before it gets better, because a lot of people that have already been infected, have not yet had any symptoms and might not even know they are sick. But in the meanwhile the number of newly infected people should start to diminish drastically in the countries where there is a quasi lockdown. We'll know a lot more in a few weeks. It's very possible that this will last through the rest of the year, but that doesn't seem to be a certainty at all either.

To add to this is appears that a flu drug in Japan is working to help with moderate and mild cases there and prevent those cases from becoming severe. Sounds like it's going to be used more widely in Japan, but no idea if it will be used outside of Japan. If it does work one would hope other countries would approve it as well.

As this and more treatments come on line it should help as well.
 
Good to see we have so many experts here. In the meanwhile, in Italy, some football teams will start training again on
There's a very important other side to this argument.

There's so many virologists out there you can always find one that supports your argument.

Football teams training again has more to do with their quarantines being over than with the overall state of the epidemic.
 
There's a very important other side to this argument.

There's so many virologists out there you can always find one that supports your argument.
While it's quite possible that we'll never know how affected China was, it's rather telling that they are letting their medical personnel leave the country to help out in Italy. It's clear the worst is behind them. Considering they were hit first and two months give or take ahead of Europe, i don't really know why you (or anyone) would persist that 10 weeks is not a realistic prognosis, assuming current measures are kept in place for that period.

PS: i also didn't want to pose as an expert, just thought it was interesting how some people here were trying to ridicule other opinions, when in truth, they know just as much as everybody else.

PS2: just read your edit, the point in football teams resuming training, wasn't to say the epidemic is over. But that people are eager to get going again. Even at this moment, when in Italy, it looks like insanity to do so. Even if the virus isn't fully contained in two months, there will be plenty of people that want to get the show on the road. And i'm not convinced that organizing a bike race would be impossible. Cut 90% of press, don't do pre- or post race ceremonies, no public. Just 3 camera bikes and a chopper. Have riders tested before entering... If they wanted to find a way, i think they could, given the situation has improved over the next two months.
 
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While it's quite possible that we'll never know how affected China was, it's rather telling that they are letting their medical personnel leave the country to help out in Italy. It's clear the worst is behind them. Considering they were hit first and two months give or take ahead of Europe, i don't really know why you (or anyone) would persist that 10 weeks is not a realistic prognosis, assuming current measures are kept in place for that period.

PS: i also didn't want to pose as an expert, just thought it was interesting how some people here were trying to ridicule other opinions, when in truth, they know just as much as everybody else.

PS2: just read your edit, the point in football teams resuming training, wasn't to say the epidemic is over. But that people are eager to get going again. Even at this moment, when in Italy, it looks like insanity to do so. Even if the virus isn't fully contained in two months, there will be plenty of people that want to get the show on the road. And i'm not convinced that organizing a bike race would be impossible. Cut 90% of press, don't do pre- or post race ceremonies, no public. Just 3 camera bikes and a chopper. Have riders tested before entering... If they wanted to find a way, i think they could, given the situation has improved over the next two months.
Okay.

Unfortunately I think cycling is the sport that's about least likely to resume in these circumstances.
 
Okay.

Unfortunately I think cycling is the sport that's about least likely to resume in these circumstances.
Maybe. I don't know, i've been thinking a lot about this. I think they "could" make it work. Cycling isn't a rich sport and needs all the exposure it can get. In a time where olympics and Euro Championships football are likely to be cancelled as well as a big part of F1, the coming months might present a window of opportunity for cycling. Don't allow physical press on the grounds, organize virtual press moments with the riders over social media. No crowds on the side of the road (just like during an actual lockdown). No pre race ceremony, post race ceremony something very "downsized" (no podium girls, no local politicians...). Test all riders and team entourage right before entering the race. I have no idea how feasible it would be to have riders sleep in hotels, or what the alternatives could be (mobilhome? bus? tents?), but if you would really cut all the "excess fat" and restrict/manage interaction with the outside world, i think it could be doable.
 
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A few football teams might resume training soon because the "quasi lockdown" is kind of a joke. Companies are allowed to decided whether to stay open or not, so if the company you're working for is called AC Milan and tells you to go to work you have to (or likely get suspended without pay, which won't make much of a difference for a football player earning millions per year, but could be huge for the average Joe).
I'm still hopeful the Lega Calcio will prevent them from training anyway. Official decision today.

This is why to me it makes no sense whatsoever to compare the italian situation to Wuhan. The measures put in place here are vastly different and allow the virus to keep spreading (even if at a lower rate).

We don't know how long it's going to take. But it's fair to assume it's gonna take longer here, where an estimated 40% of the working population is still commuting daily to their offices, than in a place where people were allowed outside of their home once or twice per week to shop groceries.
 
(You have a lot of good points, so I'm just gonna number them, and proceed from there.)

Maybe. I don't know, i've been thinking a lot about this. I think they "could" make it work. Cycling isn't a rich sport and needs all the exposure it can get. In a time where olympics and Euro Championships football are likely to be cancelled as well as a big part of F1, the coming months might present a window of opportunity for cycling. (1)Don't allow physical press on the grounds, organize virtual press moments with the riders over social media. No crowds on the side of the road (just like during an actual lockdown). (2)No pre race ceremony, post race ceremony something very "downsized" (no podium girls, no local politicians...). Test all riders and team entourage right before entering the race. (3)I have no idea how feasible it would be to have riders sleep in hotels, or what the alternatives could be (mobilhome? bus? tents?), but if you would really cut all the "excess fat" and restrict/manage interaction with the outside world, i think it could be doable.

1. Or, if there has to be live interviews, just stick to the official international feed post-victory mix zone interviews. Heck... I'm sure there are a lot of riders who aren't going to mind constantly having to answer stupid questions.
Obviously do away with the moto-commentators.
Tell foreign media to only bring the bare minimum - of course with fewer reporters that comes quite naturally.

2. Podium ceremony like in Paris-Nice. Yes, it looked strange to have riders walk onto the podium already wearing their jerseys, but it can be done.

3. Riders in hotels, reporters in tent. (This might not be a 100 % serious, but I do think riders should have the best sleeping-facilities.)

And then install stationary cameras on key points. In fact, I think that should be a standard thing; too often we miss important riders passing key points because the race has been split assunder, and there just aren't enough cameras to cover everyone.
 
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Once they get the technical side right, cycling should be one of the sports easiest to do as e-sports.
Way easier at least to hold Zwift-races than play a digital football match with real football players. But do we really want to see those? Depends on how desperate we get, I suppose.
 
It will get worse before it gets better, because a lot of people that have already been infected, have not yet had any symptoms and might not even know they are sick. But in the meanwhile the number of newly infected people should start to diminish drastically in the countries where there is a quasi lockdown. We'll know a lot more in a few weeks. It's very possible that this will last through the rest of the year, but that doesn't seem to be a certainty at all either.

We Europeans aren't nearly as disciplined regarding government instructions as the Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Koreans, Singaporeans, etc., and for various reasons Americans, and citizens of many majority Muslim nations are even less disciplined.

40% of Italians are still going to work I read. That's *** insane. That's no lockdown.

We'll know more in a few weeks, yes, but I don't think it'll be good news. It would be a miracle if this thing passes over Europe the way it did in China.
 
A few football teams might resume training soon because the "quasi lockdown" is kind of a joke. Companies are allowed to decided whether to stay open or not, so if the company you're working for is called AC Milan and tells you to go to work you have to (or likely get suspended without pay, which won't make much of a difference for a football player earning millions per year, but could be huge for the average Joe).
I'm still hopeful the Lega Calcio will prevent them from training anyway. Official decision today.

This is why to me it makes no sense whatsoever to compare the italian situation to Wuhan. The measures put in place here are vastly different and allow the virus to keep spreading (even if at a lower rate).

We don't know how long it's going to take. But it's fair to assume it's gonna take longer here, where an estimated 40% of the working population is still commuting daily to their offices, than in a place where people were allowed outside of their home once or twice per week to shop groceries.
I don't know if you read my follow up. The reason why i posted that teams want to start training, is not to make a point that it's nearly over. It was to make a point that people are getting anxious to move on with normal life. I'm not talking about Italian races per se.
 
Something that I know for sure will happen if cycling resumes under restricted conditions is that hotels will give them big discounts and therefore more safe accommodations for riders will be available.

Well, I don't think it will happen anyway because there many other risks.
 
So. One has to consider the situation in China. The spread of the virus has all but stopped there. They have started their quarantine around the end of January. One and a half months before Europe. So in theory, we should be where China is right now in begining of May. That means more than 1 and a half months before the Tour should take place. Could a race be held in China (under strict rules of course, like Paris Nice) at the end of April/begining of May? I believe so. So unless there is a much more severe situation and a much longer "peak" of the epidemic, July should be safe for things to start functioning again on at least some level. You cannot have a year-long lockdown. The world would basically collaps. And that would be far worse than some virus.
 
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